Lets talk primers

Bart,

It is good to see a reference and a well documented test that has the same conclusion about the 205M primers as my buddy found in just practical testing of accuracy results.
I made sure he got a copy of the small primer article.

That's a great reference. Thanks for sharing.
 
I assume you are aware of why Federal primers are now packed in their larger boxes rather than the previous small boxes that all other primers are still packed in.
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There you go, I have always said Federal used the large box for their primers to upset R. Lee, they wanted to give him something to complain about. R. Lee had customers that allowed the large Federal box drive them to the curb.

R. Lee claimed the Federal primers were 'more powerful', more powerful is what I wanted.

Then? R. Lee said he did not test Federal primers! WHY? He said Federal did not donate Federal primers to be tested.

There has been another accident with primer tubes and Federal primers. THE LAST ACCIDENT LOOKED LIKE A RELOADER FOLDED THE TUBE FULL OF PRIMERS. I BELIEVE HE CRUSHED THE PRIMERS.

Be carful and ware eye protection, and gloves with a face shield, then there is the welders vest etc..

F. Guffey
 
Pretty much everything in reloading is a combination of how the selected components all work together. Once you find the "best" primer, you have to start testing primers all over again if you change the powder, the bullet, or the brass, for your test to be valid.

I'm not doing 1000 yard match loads, or a whole lot of rifle for that matter, but for pistol rounds, I really can't point to a specific primer ever resulting in a notoiceable difference. I do follow powder mfg recommendations for when Magnum primers should be used.
 
From Bart's link

After a great deal of experimentation with pre-compression and related accuracy testing, Creighton determined that there was no specific number, but you could definitely do too much or too little. Very ironic, a light pre-compression indeed turned out to be best... whatever that means. No one was better at this sort of testing than Creighton
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This was interesting to me . I don't have the link but I believe it was from Unclenick . I remember reading not to long ago that seating the primers hard into the primer pocket gave best results . Now that's subjective because of hand strength . One mans hard seated primer can be another mans medium light seated primer . I believe the point was making sure the primer bottomed out in the pocket . I get that you can seat a primer to hard , that seems obvious . I guess I'd like to know what is to much as compared to making sure the primer is seated hard in the pocket ?

Very ironic, a light pre-compression indeed turned out to be best... whatever that means.
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I've been using a hand primer and seating pretty firm . I wonder if that's giving me that light compression he talks about . Now I don't have gorilla hands but do have good hand strength do to my type of work . How much of an issue is this really ? do they have a flash test comparing primers seated at different pounds of pressure ?
 
Pretty much everything in reloading is a combination of how the selected components all work together. Once you find the "best" primer, you have to start testing primers all over again if you change the powder, the bullet, or the brass, for your test to be valid.
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I have never done that with .308 Win or 30 caliber magnum components. All combinations had excellent accuracy with the same primer. I suspect some variable outside that of the components would make one come to that conclusion.
 
Pretty much everything in reloading is a combination of how the selected components all work together. Once you find the "best" primer, you have to start testing primers all over again if you change the powder, the bullet, or the brass, for your test to be valid.
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I have never done that with .308 Win or 30 caliber magnum components. All combinations had excellent accuracy with the same primer. I suspect some variable outside that of the components would make one come to that conclusion.

One exception: switching from extruded powder to ball as some ball powders need extra hot primers.
 
I'm sure that it is true that any change, including primer brand, can have *some* influence on the performance of the loaded round, but whether it is a significant difference for the average shooter/reloader depends on the needs of each shooter/reloader.

So, to KISS, I don't switch brands. My LGS does have some Rem and CCI primers, but the largest stock has always been Winchester so that's what I've always used.

Maybe the Federals aren't safe in the Lee AutoPrime, or maybe they are, but I'll never find out.
 
During the recent ammo Obamanation I found several bricks of Russian-made PMC primers. They went BANG every time and were just as accurate as any other brand. My point is, most of us lack the shooting skills to tell the difference in primer brands. YMMV.
 
most of us lack the shooting skills to tell the difference in primer brands
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YMMV
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And then? A reloader gets into mortal combat with reloading and primers are set off sympathetically, it is always the Federal primer. I was told Federal primers are more powerful, I want primers that are more powerful.

One day I set out to abuse a primer, I gave up on that one and started on another one, finally after about 2 hours I managed to set off a primer, I should have expected it but the bang surprised me.

Then there is that part about: 'How would one go about determinant which primer is "more powerful?".

F. Guffey
 
Bluegrass- I have to disagree with that statement( most lack the shooting skills)
Reason being- That is why a lot if not most get into reloading. We all know it starts as a money saving thing and we find out we are not saving money, just shooting more. But, I think the big thing we reload for is Accuracy. With that in mind-Most of us do get choosey about which primer and for a good reason.
Example, Just last week,Boss got a new Remmy308 SPS Tac. We worked up a load for it.

42.5 gn H4895, 168 Hornady BTHP and Federal GM210M primers. We were shooting .5 groups at 100 yards. Well we all know GM210M primers are no where to be found any more,so CCI-BR2 are a replacement in the charts for the GM's. Same Load, same bullet, same everything but primer. Groups opened up to almost 4 inches.

Same load using GM215M ( magnum primers). Groups 3 to 4 inches

Same load using GM210 ( standard primers) Groups 2 to 5 inches.

Now could another good load be worked up using those other primers-Probebly, but why change a good thing. For now he is just hanging onto the last 50 rounds we loaded with the GM210M primers for safe guard till they come back into stock again.

Had same results with 223- Was using Rem 7 1/2 bench primers, switched to CCI-BR4's, Groups wents super accurate right off the bat. Same everything but primer again.
 
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I didn't worry about primer brand until I started looking for a progressive. Talk about opening Pandora's Box! Just an hour reading Brian Enos's Dillon forum gives you an education! Everyone and their dog seems to think Federals are the only worthwhile brand. Then you start reading about them setting off a whole tube of primers! Most primer explosions reported, say they used Federals....with just a spattering of Winchester.

Here's the lastest kaboom that just made "sticky" yesterday on TheHighRoad.org!

Yup Federals. The O.P. said, "Federal primers are indeed much more sensitive than CCI. In fact, according to the MSDS sheets provided by the hospital the only common ones still to contain nitroglycerin."

I went the other direction 6 years ago.....I bought the progressive that didn't make you put primers together to make pipe bombs.

I really don't feel deprived at all using mostly CCI's a few Winchesters, very few Remingtons, and zero Federals. Life's too short to spend time you don't need to in a hospital's E.R. ......but then I don't need to compete where people seem to think using Federals is a most important entry rule.
 
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Bart- It this with the 308 also?. Just wondering. When you go look at 308 loads, I would venture to say 90% are with the GM210M primers. That is the only caliber I use Federal primers in. All my other rifles get CCI primers. Tried a Few Winchester Primers , but just did not like them very much.
 
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